Cairns

Thursday, 2 July 2015

 

Home for the next two months

New cupboard

Freshwater Creek

Fish feeding

Spot the elusive butterfly?

For sale - includes mountain

Snake infested sugar cane

Yesterday was a long day on the road – for us, anyway – taking five and a half hours for the trip from Townsville to Cairns.  The weather was just superb, about 26 degrees, clear skies and a light tail wind (our best fuel consumption so far).  We were at Crystal Cascades Holiday Park by 2.00 pm and after checking in, Phil had us quickly on site.  It was then that the high humidity and high temperature hit us!  After record rainfall in June, and being surrounded by rainforest, it didn’t take much effort for perspiration to appear.  Apart from the people we already know, the friendliness of everyone staying in this park was quickly apparent.  Even taking it slowly, the awning and screens were in place, as well as the tables and chairs, well before 5.00 pm; it was so nice to sit in the shade and relax.  The sounds of the curlews during the night let us know that these birds are still around.

Himself purchased a fold-up bike last year, with the intention of using it to ride the couple of kilometres to the shop each morning to buy the daily newspaper.  This idea has fallen through – the newspaper is now available at reception!  We seemed to be accosted by people being friendly today – and wanting information.  A lady I met while hanging out the washing had lived in Canada for a year and was able to give me some information which will be very useful come Christmas time.  Another lady turned up on the doorstep and asked about our bathroom door, with a subsequent visit to her caravan and another half hour disappeared before we were able to leave for all our little jobbies.  Another couple turned up this afternoon to ask about the Pajero!

After finally getting away this morning, our first stop was at Cazaly’s to renew our membership – and collect my birthday present – before heading to BCF and another camping goods shop.  We have now purchased a cupboard with three shelves to place outside under the awning (a bigger version was also available, but decided we didn’t need to have the biggest!).  The turbo oven, the electric fry pan and rice cooker now have a new home for the next two months.  After lunch, we walked down to Freshwater Creek to feed the fish (and a very friendly dog) – a lot of water in the creek and a lot of Ulysses butterflies (I have never seen so many all at once).  Let’s hope they are still there next week when our visitors arrive.